Page 445 of The Christmas Wife

"Shut the fuck up," I grumble.

"It’s the early days of being married, you’d be better off bonding with your other half and all that." This, from Nathan, who sounds like he doesn’t give a fuck, either way.

"Who invited you here, again?" I frown.

"I did." Sinclair rolls the cigar to the other side of his mouth. "You don’t mind, do you, ol’ chap?"

I glare at him, but he merely shrugs. Of all the people, Sinclair should know Nathan is not on my list of favorite people, but he went ahead and invited him. Which is his way of telling me I need to build bridges with this man who's an equal decision maker in Davenport Industries. Or rather, equal decision-maker after my grandfather, considering he hasn’t yet handed off full control to me. And Sinclair’s right. Arthur has shown he trusts Nathan as much as me.

Given my adoptive father, Arthur’s oldest son wants nothing to do with him, and my biological father who is also Nathan’s father is dead, it makes Nathan his oldest grandson and the logical successor to Arthur’s fortune. It also makes him my closest competitor for the position of my grandfather’s heir.

Strangely, that doesn’t bother me the way it might have before I met my wife.

Before I realized the most important thing in the world is taking care of her—her safety, her security, her happiness, her future. All of that takes precedence. It’s disconcerting and, also, grounding, in an unexpected fashion. It’s why I don’t rise to the bait when Nathan nods his chin in my direction. "Trouble in paradise, I take it?"

"None of your business," I growl.

"It’s affecting your performance at work, so it is my business."

I still, then glance up from my cards. "Explain?"

"You missed a crucial loophole in the takeover documentation for the Young Group. Of course, I spotted it and fixed it prior to signing the deal."

"What loophole?"

"One that would have cost us close to a million dollars, but it’s been taken care of."

"I don’t let loopholes slip by me."

"You did, this time." He jams his cigar between his lips. "Might have to do with the fact you leveraged this takeover for your marriage, and?—"

I reach over and grab his collar, then haul him forward. "Shut the fuck up."

He smiles, the satisfaction in his eyes showing he’s proven his point by getting a rise out of me.

"Let him go," Sinclair snaps.

I glare at Nathan. His smile grows wider. I tighten my hold on his collar, then release him. He sits back; so do I. But our gazes are locked.

"Thought you could control your temper better," he says in a mild voice.

"What do you want?" I square my shoulders. "Why did you accept Arthur’s proposition of sharing the veto power?"

"I have enough money, thanks to my investments. What this brings me, is power...and the breadth of control that comes from being the joint CEO of the Davenport group."

"Joint CEO?" I frown. That’s when my phone vibrates. I glance at the screen to find Arthur’s name on the caller ID. I fix my gaze on Nathan and answer: “Arthur?”

There’s silence, then, “I’m only G-Pa when your wife is around, I take it?”

It’s my turn to stay quiet.

Arthur sighs. “What I’m going to tell you is going to upset you.”

“You don’t say?” I ask dryly.

“You’re newly married, and I want you to focus on your wife, and?—’

“Cut the bullshit and give it to me straight.”

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